Re: Teleflex to Faria???
From Trailer Boats March 2005<br /><br />Counterfeiting A Growing Problem In Marine Industry.<br /><br />According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, counterfeiting of marine products is on the rise, especlialy in China. Shortly before presstime, US Rep Joseph Knollenberg (R-Mich.) introduced legislation that would close a legal loophole protecting those who label, wrap and distribute conterfeit products.<br /><br />Perhaps the most prominent victim to date is Faria Corp. a manufacturer of marine guages. David A. Blackburn, Faria's CEO and president, discoverd that counterfeits of the company's products were showing up in Central and South America, and that Chinese counterfeiters have begun approaching US customers.<br /><br />The problem extends beyond the loss of jobs and revenue for affected manufacturers. There is also a matter of safety. When Faria tested one of the fake guages, Blackburn says, "it was found to be grossly inaccurate" He adds that the implications can be imense. Noting that these products may be manufactured with inferior materials and craftsmanship, exhibit design flaws and lack quality assurance testing, John Goodwin of the NMMA tells trailer boats, "the best thing for consumers to do is to buy their products from reputable marine dealers and be wary of a deal that seem too good to be true" The association is working with the US Coast Guard to produce a system for reporting counterfeiting cases.
